Chocolate Robots
by Tash777
Summary: Mello and Near have a game. Mello's been at this game since they were kids, but now Near has decided retaliation seems like fun. What wonderful happenings shall occur?


Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note. This is somewhat of an AU, since nobody is dead. Please tell me what you think!

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Chocolate Robots

Unknown to Matt, Mello and Near had a game. It was a simple game, with simple rules.

Whoever manages to push the other off the brink first? Wins.

Matt had gone out to see the crime scene of a case they were all working on. Normally that would be Mello's job, but he had to go through a large list of suspects, sorting out aliases.

He also had to narrow the list down, but that could only be done with the new information Matt would be coming back with. And Matt would be a while, considering Mello wouldn't let him use his precious motorcycle.

Mello quickly sorted out who had aliases and what their real names were. So now he was stuck in here with the albino snow queen, with nothing productive to do.

Near was different to the other two. They were as close as brothers, and often ganged up on Near and bullied him, calling him all sorts of things. Matt would occasionally remind him that they were only joking, though.

Near often wondered if something more was going on between Matt and Mello, but would quickly push it aside. For some reason it didn't wash well with him. He decided it was simply the fact that he was uncomfortable with the thought of his two closest things to friends doing... Stuff. It didn't seem right. But there was something else there too...

Near's hands flew around the keyboard of his computer as he did some background research on the case. It wasn't really necessary, but he had finished his work a while ago and like Mello, needed the extra information from Matt to carry on.

Mello watched Near as he typed. He had finished before that stuck up 'number 1'. That had to count for something! He walked up to the pale figure, wondering what to do. How far could he take this game?

Near carried on typing, pretending he hadn't noticed Mello. He enjoyed their game too; he had to admit it was quite amusing. Seeing Mello lose control, as he often did, would put Near in a good mood for the rest of the day.

Mello stood directly behind Near's chair and shoved his hand in his pocket, bringing out a small plastic bag. He turned the bag upside down and emptied its contents of chocolate shavings all over Near's pristine white hair.

Near did not move, nor did he make a sound. Slowly, he reached up and picked up a small amount from his head. He looked up at Mello, placing the chocolate in his mouth and making an exaggerated "Mmmm" sound. The only thing he liked more than annoying Mello like this was to make his own plans backfire.

Mello scowled at him. Near simply stared back, his expression almost completely blank, but not quite. Suddenly, Mello's cellphone rang.

"What!? Oh, hey Matt! How's the crime scene? Not too gory for you, I'm hoping? That's good. So, did you manage to get any more information?"

Near felt the slight sting of jealousy run through him as they talked on the phone. What did Matt possess that he did not?

When the conversation ended, Near couldn't help but ask.

"Mello... What exactly is going on between you and Matt?"

Mello scowled at him.

"Nothing, we're just friends. Why, are you jealous?"

Near stared at Mello, his face still emotionless. Mello smirked at the white-haired boy, biting another chunk out of his chocolate bar. Near didn't stop staring at Mello. He was thinking. But Mello quickly got annoyed.

"What are you staring at, sheep? It's obvious I'm better looking than you, but you don't have to stare."

Near blinked, and looked away. Mello didn't notice the very slight blush on his cheeks. Near went back to ignoring him, picking up one of his many toy robots.

Mello walked a few steps away from the other boy and sprawled himself over an armchair, leathered limbs sticking out of the sitting utensil haphazardly.

He watched Near as he happily played with his robots. How could he be so content with such a simple device? How on earth did he survive without the rush of driving a motorbike, without the thrill of wielding a gun?

A small smile crossed Mello's face. He looked at the little robot with the chipped blue paint, remembering when he first saw it. When it was brand new.

It was Mello's first day at Whammy's House. He was being shown through the place by Roger, who was oblivious to the fact that he was currently leading around a boy who would soon be one of the biggest troublemakers at the orphanage.

Mello had walked into a room that was full to the brim with toys. The children ignored him, carrying on with their games.

Only one of the little genii there acknowledged Mello's appearance. The white haired boy in the corner, holding a bright blue robot.

A four year old Near looked into the eyes of a five year old Mello, and did something he had only done once when he first arrived at Whammy's a year ago.

He smiled.

Mello returned the gesture, and carried on with the tour.

A year passed. Mello had established a reputation, and people were scared to go within a ten foot radius of him. Except for Near.

Mello would often sit by him as he played with his robots, trying to provoke a reaction from him. He never hurt him, just a poke here, a prod there. Mello would call him this and that, but he never really meant it. It was just a joke.

One day, Mello got really annoyed. He had called Near every name he could think of (despite only being 6, he could think of quite a few) but nothing happened! He lashed out, completely obliterating a tower of blocks that Near was constructing.

For the first time, Near looked up at Mello, finally showing a reaction. It wasn't much, but Mello could clearly see the hurt in his eyes. Mello wanted a reaction.

But he didn't want this.

For the first time in his life, and possibly the last, Mello apologized.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Near..."

"It's alright."

"Can I... Can I help you fix it?"

Near looked up at Mello, surprised. Nobody ever asked if they could join him. Perhaps it would be nice to share...

It was. From that day onwards, Mello and Near would play every day. People called them friends. Some people even called them best friends.

They became closer and closer, until you wouldn't ever see one without the other. One person even claimed seeing Mello share his chocolate with Near.

This carried on for the next four years. Mello was ten, Near was nine. A girl came up to them.

"Near, M-Mello... Roger wants t-to see you..."

She ran away before Mello threw something at her. Near looked quizzically at Mello. It was normal for him to be called for by Roger, but not normal for Near.

Mello looked back with the same expression. Why on earth was Near coming too?

When the got to the office, another boy was already there. He wore orange goggles. He stared at the floor, a battered gameboy in his gloved hands.

"Mello, Near, this is Matt. He is new and I would like you to make him feel welcome here."

From that day forward, Mello and Near were never quite as close as they were. Matt and Mello seemed to be perfect friends, flawless in their pairing. Near was left in the background, so he did the most logical thing he could think of. He shut himself off.

Two years passed. Mello and Matt were 12, Near was 11. It was then they were informed that they were top three of the school, and what they were destined for.

Near didn't really care what Mello thought of him anymore. He had lost his best and only friend, so why concentrate on anything but success? Near whizzed through the work, but it didn't fill the aching pit of loneliness in his stomach like he had hoped it would.

Mello and Matt were in a corner, laughing and joking around. Mello turned to Near and was about to ask him to join them when he saw Near staring at the monitor.

Mello went over to see what had captivated his old best friend. He scanned through the email from behind Near. They were results.

Near was top of the entire orphanage, Mello being second. He had never really thought about it before, but he had worked so hard! Why wasn't he first? How could Near possibly surpass him!? Mello wasn't happy about that. Not happy in the slightest.

Mello frowned as the sweet memory of the robot turned into bitter memories of his childhood. He grabbed one of Near's robots and stormed into the kitchen.

Near watched Mello, curious to what was happening to his robot. He liked his robots very much, so he hoped nothing too bad would happen to it. He sat in his chair, pondering the possibilities.

Mello came back out of the kitchen a few minutes later. He pulled out the robot and put it on the table. It had changed colour. To brown? Near stared at it a little more and picked it up.

Chocolate. Mello had covered his precious robot in chocolate.

Near glared at him, knowing exactly how to pay him back for this horrible occurrence. But first... He lifted the robot to his mouth and started sucking on it.

Mello just stared. Near was sucking on one of his toys. The toy covered in HIS chocolate. Near was eating his chocolate? Near was eating his chocolate!

Mello nearly lost it. Nearly. He managed to hold on, thinking Near had no tricks left up his sleeve. He was so very wrong.

Near finished sucking and licking all of the chocolate from his robot, carefully watching Mello's reaction. The second successor was glaring at him, probably for eating his chocolate. But was that a blush Near saw?

Near put the freshly cleaned robot down and turned to face Mello. Mello stared at him, trying to calculate his next move.

But Near, for once, was completely unpredictable. He leaped on Mello, managing to pin him to the floor. When did he get so strong? Mello thrashed and struggled, but he couldn't get up.

Near wondered what effect this would have on Mello. Would he even talk to him after this? Would he break his equipment? Did Near dare to think that Mello might like it? No, of course that wouldn't happen...

Near leaned towards Mello until their noses touched. That shut the blonde haired one up. Then gently, and ever so slowly, he tilted his head towards the other, until their lips brushed against each other.

Near was kissing Mello. Mello was kissing Near. MELLO WAS KISSING NEAR? Much to his shock, Mello was actually starting to enjoy it. Mmm, he tasted of chocolate...

Tentatively, they deepened the kiss. Legs tangled together, arms wrapping around each other in an effort to get closer to each other. They only separated when breathing became an issue, and then they would quickly resume without a second thought.

Matt strolled into the room, holding a stack of papers full of the information Mello and Near needed to carry on the investigation.

He was hoping that Mello hadn't shot Near in a fit of rage. Seeing them both shirtless and having a make-out session on the floor was really not what he was expecting to see.

He cleared his throat and the two sprang apart, both going bright red. It was quite amusing to see.

Both reacted as expected. Near got up silently and retrieved his shirt, going back to his computer, while Mello drew out his gun and aimed it at Matt, daring him to tell anyone about what he had just seen.

Eventually, Mello stopped bombarding Matt with threats to shoot him repeatedly in the groin and ran off to his room, obviously confused as to why he enjoyed the days events so much.

Near watched him go past, and did something he had only ever done twice before in his life.

He smiled.


End file.
